Ar00902

SATURDAY , 16 TH APRIL 1892 .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . " "

A CASE FOR CONSIDERATION . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I shall be obliged if you will give space for tbe discussion of a subject whioh I consider to be of general importance and interest . I allude to the case of W . 6 . B . Kent , a candidate at last week ' s election for the Royal Masonio Institution for Boys , who is returned as unsuccessful , on a last application , with

1958 votes polled on his behalf . Before proceeding further I may say I have no personal interest in this case , the qualifications of which are wholly unknowh to me , and I desire publicity for my sentiments on public grounds only , and because I believe that the general body of supporters of our Charities are , like myself , anxious to temper their administration of the laws of the Institutions with

mercy , so far as it can consistently be done without showing an undue preference in certain cases . It would perhaps be best , however , to say tbat I have on more than one occasion been a visitor at the Merchant Navy Lodge—with whioh the lad's father was associated , and wherein I believe he was initiated—and it is because I have been struck with the apparent genuineness of its members

tbat I am more than ever determined to ask if something cannot be done on their behalf in the particularly unfortunate circumstances surrounding this case . Since I noticed the position in whioh the lad is placed I have spoken of it to some of my acquaintance , and from one of them I secured the card of appeal sent ont on the boy ' s behalf . From this I find that the case was strongly recommended by the Masters , Past

Masters and Brethren of the Merchant Navy Lodge , and also of the Stanhope Lodge . Certain it is that some one must have worked hard on the boy ' s behalf , or it would not have been possible to secure 1958 votes on a first application . I think this fact alone proves tbat tho case is a deserving one ; 'bur , most unfortunately , the 1958 votes secured were 218 short of the nnmber needed to secure electicn , and—unless something of a very exceptional character can be accomplished on this lad ' s behalf—the 1958 votes will have been

wasted and the lad will be excluded from the Institution ! Brother Editor , will an appeal through your columns to my fellow supporters of th « Masonic Charities be of any service in this caso ? Can we stand by and see worthy members of worthy Lodges working hard to secure a lad ' s election ; polling 3958 votes on a first and last application all in vaiu ? The laws of the Institution sayyes

, Beason and equity say , no ! I would ask is there no power to bring these opposing opinions into harmony , or no power to do justice in the cause of Masonio benevolence ? I would ask the brethren who are interested in the Eoyal Masonio Institution for Boys—and the Masonio Chaiities generally—not to steel their hearts behind the

principle of what is actually right , as laid down in the laws , but to see if it is not possible in this case to temper their justice with mercy . I am aware that such a proceeding would create a very dangerous precedent , but , on the other hand , there are many subscnbers to our Charities who would be willing to concede a little licence to the last application cases , provided it were evident they wumuBrauie

-- « - numoer or supporters , 1 should never ask for all last application cases to be admitted , no matter what support they received , biit I do ask for consideration for a case for which 1958 votes are recorded at one election , that nnmber unfortunately being short of the total required to secure a place in the School .

J . am aware the laws of the Institution apply particularly to this case—the boy is above the age , and cannot be admitted—but surely our ] awa can be appended j n exceptional cases ( and no one will deny this is an exceptional case ) provided that common justice appears to warrant special action . May I tinmbl y suggest that the laws of the Boys' School be so iar suspended as to allow of this lad going forward as a candidate at tne next election with the 1958 votes polled on his behalf last ifrioay duly carried forward ? If this could be arranged I venture to

think it would be difficult to discover who would be the ultimate Honerer by tho concession . I am certain the Institution would not wse , tor the brethren who are able to secure 1958 votes for a first wonlr ?* " ! , mUat hare S 0 D ; * power in the Craft ' and thafc P ° would , without doubt , be exercised in support of the principle which R f , P eoial departure on behalf of their candidate , are ' ? ° tbe East Etid of Lo ^ 011 . ^ is is a case in whioh you ln" » estea . You are powerful in connection with the Charities !

Correspondence.

Will you use your influence in helping to secure the concession I have suggested on behalf of your old members ? I am , yours fraternally , LIFE GOVERNOR .

LANCASHIRE TRIBUTE TO BEN BRIERLEY . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . SIR , —Your readers will doubtless ba interested to know the progress that has so far been made in the proposed Lancashire ) Tribute to Ben Brierley .

At a public meeting held in the Mayor ' s Parlour , on lst March , Alderman Bosdin T . Leech ( Mayor of Manchester ) in the ohair , the following Resolution , moved by A . Emmott , Esq . ( Mayor of Oldham ) and seconded by Councillor Joshua Hampgon , was carried unanimously :

" That this meeting cordially approves of the suggestion that steps should be token to raise at once a Fond sufficient to mark the sisnse of the high estimation in whioh Bern Brierley is held by the people of Lancashire , and whioh shall serve as a tribute of their respect for him and their admiration for the services whioh he has rendered to literature . "

Mr . Brierley ia now in his 67 th year , and after his recent ssrioaa indisposition , of two years' duration , whioh has resulted in partial paralysis , it is not to be expected that he can do mnoh more work aa an author or as a public entertainer . The thousand ! who have been amnsed , cheered , and helped by his writings will , it is felt , gladly avail themselves of an opportunity of showing their appreciation of

this fine exponent of the Lancashire oharaoter . Many promises have been received , and already over £ 250 has been paid in to the Hon . Treasurer . These include subscriptions from the Eight Hon . the Earl of Derby , K . G . ; Viscount Cranbourne , M . P . j Sir W . H . Houldsworth , Bart , M . P . ; Bight Hon . A . J . Balfour , M . P . ; Sir Ughtred Kay Shuttleworth , Bart ., M . P . ; Herbert

Phillips , Esq . ; Benjamin Armitage , Esq . ( Chomlea ) ; Eobert Leake , Esq ., M . P . ; J . M . Maclean , Esq ., M . P . ; The Mayors of Manchester , Oldham , and Middleton j Henry Irving , Esq . ; Henry Dunokley , Esq . ; Frederick Shields , Esq . ; George Milner , Esq ., J . P . ; W . E . A . Axon , Esq . ; W . H . Bailey , Esq . ; Colonel Le Gendre Starkie ; John Grantham , Esq . ; Thomas Newbigging , Esq . ; Thomaa Kay , Esq . ;

Thomas Lings , Esq . ; Henry Slatter , Esq ., J . P .: and Harry Thornber , Esq . The subscriptions range from a shilling to ten guineas . So far the movement baa been chiefly confined to Manchester , but it is of course desirable that it shonld be shared in by the whole County , and the adjacent portions of Cheshire and Derbyshire , which are so closely identified by industrial and residential ties with the district

described in Mr . Brierley ' a writings . The Committee have ventured to ask the Mayors of each Lancashire town to receive Subscriptions , and would be glad to hear from any volunteers to form local committees for the extension of the Fund . We trust that we may count upon your active co-operation in the effort to raise an amount whioh shall at least be sufficient to ensure that the remaining years of Mr . Brierley and his wife shall be free from anxiety .

Yours truly , JOSHUA HAMPSON , Hon . Seo . 98 Corporation Street , Manchester .

POPE , FRIENDLY SOCIETIES , AND MASONS , To the Editor of the Speaker . SIR , —I am sorry that my letter appears to your Eoman Catholic correspondent to betray some confusion of thought , for his letter appears to me to betray some want of acquaintance with the subject . He asks what I mean by calling the Catholic Benefit Society " one of ' the affiliated orders ?'" And he state * that " the society is in no

way ' affiliated' to the Church . " " The affiliated orders is a phrase whioh has a well-known and definite meaning in connection with friendly societies , for which I would refer your correspondent to tho famous Blue Book on the friendly societies which preceded Sir Stafford Northcote ' s legislation , or to the book of the Rev . Fromo Wilkinson .

It appears from thu letter of your Eoman Catholic corespondent that a Eoman Catholic who becomes an English Freemason is denied the sacraments of the Church—a fact which must seem monstrous to all who know what English Freemasonry is . I cannot but repeat the hope , with which I began the correspondence , that the Roman Catholic Church will see ita way to allow its members in

Great Britain to become British Freemasons , to allow its members generally to become Good Templars , and to make it clearly understood that the prohibition against joining secret societies ( loos nofc apply to the friendly societies of the United Kingdom having secret signs and passwords , althongh it does , unfortunately , apply by direct injunction to the same societies in Australia .

Your correspondent attaches a special importance to the difficulty that Eoman Catholics make the sign of the Cross before and after prayer . Although not a Roman Catholic , I have often in tho course of my life and travels , attended minor services of the Eoman Catholic Chnrch—as , for example , at the Oratory on Sunday afternoon . It is possible that a majority of thoso who have sat near me may not

have been Eoman Catholics ; but it has suemed to me that at such services the making of the sign of the Cross has been perhaps , on the whole , less common among the men thftn it is in High Anglican or "English Catholic" Churches . The House of Commons , when I was last a member of it , in 1886 , contained a large number of Eoman Catholic members , who attended